HARRISBURG, PA — On Friday, Russell Redding, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary, revealed that Greene County has now joined 52 others in Pennsylvania under quarantine due to the presence of the invasive pest, the spotted lanternfly. As spring approaches, Secretary Redding is appealing to Pennsylvanians to join the fight by destroying lanternfly eggs before they have a chance to hatch.
“Every egg mass you scrape and squash means 30-50 pests won’t hatch in May,” said Redding, emphasizing the urgency of containing the spawning of these pests. With the aid of dedicated teams and trained lanternfly detection dogs, the state is taking an aggressive approach to tackle the issue. But Redding insists that every Pennsylvanian can contribute to the effort without needing any special skills or training.
Governor Shapiro’s administration has issued a commitment to protecting Pennsylvania’s valuable agriculture, central to the state’s economy and everyday life. The strategy involves a two-pronged approach—allocating funds for research into safe and advanced methods of pest control while fostering partnerships between the government and the affected industries.
For the 2024-25 budget, Governor Shapiro has proposed to continue combat against the lanternfly menace. More than $3 million from a $34 million Rapid Response and Disaster Readiness Fund is set aside specifically to address agricultural emergencies. This is in addition to grants awarded to county conservation districts for public education on the issue.
In the fight against the lanternflies, Pennsylvania has swelled its ranks with unlikely allies. The state has enlisted Lucky, the first detection dog in the country specially trained to find lanternfly eggs in difficult-to-reach places. Now, thanks to $145,000 in new funding, the program is set to expand into western Pennsylvania and introduce a second detection dog – Ruby.
The Shapiro administration has also proposed a new $10 million Agriculture and Conservation Innovation Fund. The fund aims to support investments that will keep Pennsylvania’s farms sustainable and up-to-date in the face of technological advancements, market changes, and threats from invasive species exacerbated by climate change.
Crucial research and development funding in agriculture includes $2.187 million in Agriculture Research funds and $60.596 million for Penn State Agricultural Extension & Research. They play an essential role in educating farmers and developing innovative strategies for managing pests and disease. Moreover, they support producers threatened by pests like the spotted lanternfly.
The spotted lanternfly, an invasive species first discovered in the U.S. in Berks County in 2014, poses a significant threat to Pennsylvania’s valuable crop and plant life. The insect spreads primarily through transportation on cars and other vehicles. During winter, the adults lay eggs covered in a protective coating on outdoor surfaces easily accessible to everyone.
The quarantine restrictions enacted prohibit the movement of lanternflies at any stage of their life as well as items infested by them. One of the measures includes obtaining permits for businesses operating in the quarantined counties. Over 32,000 businesses across the U.S and Canada have acquired permits for more than 1.36 million employees, signaling a collective effort in tackling this pest problem.
More information on how to recognize and report spotted lanternflies, control them, and prevent their spread is available at agriculture.pa.gov/spottedlanternfly. It’s a call to arms for every Pennsylvanian as we join forces to defend our state’s rich agricultural heritage against the invasive menace of the spotted lanternfly.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and Microsoft Start.